(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-08 17:21

BEIJING - China is set to ban celebrities from endorsing drugs by saying how effective the drugs are in advertisements, according to China's pharmaceutical watchdog here on Thursday.

The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) will ban celebrities from appearing in advertisements for drugs' benefits or effects and vows to eradicate existing advertisements with celebrities by the end of this year.

The move is to eradicate illegal drug advertisements that exaggerate drug's benefits and mislead customers, Yan Jiangying, spokeswoman of the SFDA, said at a regular press conference.

Some manufacturers hire celebrities such as film stars to make advertisements for their drugs, in order to persuade the public that their products can effectively cure patients' diseases, she said.

Early this year, crosstalk (a popular comedy format) performer Guo Degang was featured in an advertisement for fake Tibetan diet tea, a health care product.

In the commercial, Guo Degang said he had lost three kilograms in weight since drinking the "miraculous Tibetan tea". His slogan "no big belly after three boxes of tea" soon became as famous as his own reputation.

However, experts assert the magic tea in reality has nothing to do with Tibetan tea. Also, the trademark in use for the Tibetan tea has not received any official approval and the research institute that serves as the chief support in the making of Tibetan tea is just a one-man company registered by the product's advertising designer.

China's State Council has run an advertising campaign against illegal drug adverts since July, in a bid to tighten its supervision of drug advertising. The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) is responsible for punishing violators and the SFDA is in charge of approving drug ads.

According to Yan, a total of 33,130 illegal drug ads, including TV, Internet and newspaper ads, had been spotted between January and September and information on the offenders had been turned over to the SAIC for further investigation and related penalties.